File box and file suspension device therefor

ABSTRACT

A file box and flexible, resilient suspension device therefor in which the flexible, resilient suspension device includes a body portion which is disposed adjacent the inner surface of a sidewall of the file box and has flexible, resilient clamping means at its upper end which extends laterally from the said body portion at the outer side thereof and is removably mounted in clamping engagement on and with the upper end portion of a sidewall of the file box. The body of the flexible suspension device extends from end to end of the sidewall of the file box and has file-supporting means in the form of an inturned supporting arm or flange at its lower end and extending laterally from the said body portion on the inner side thereof. The file members are arranged in vertical parallel relationship in the file box and are removably supported by supporting means arranged at the ends of each file member and which rest on the supporting means at the lower end of the suspension device. The construction of the file box and of the said flexible, resilient suspension device therefor are such that the file box may be closed by means of the cover or lid therefor and the file boxes stacked one upon another without interfering with or damaging or impinging upon the files in the file boxes or the said flexible, resilient suspension devices therefor.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Robert E. Splan 730 Waikiki Drive, Des Plaines, 111. 60016 [21] Appl. No. 838,538 [22] Filed July 2, 1969 [45] Patented Oct. 19, 1971 [54] FILE BOX AND FILE SUSPENSION DEVICE THEREFOR 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 312/184 [51] Int. Cl A47b 63/00 [50] Field ofSearcb 312/l83,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,112,967 12/1963 Hood 312/184 3,292,982 12/1966 Rubissow 312/184 1,641,600 9/1927 Ormond 312/183 1,832,239 11/1931 Pedersen 312/183 3,396,731 8/1968 Peebles 312/183 Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson Attorney-Charles B. Cannon ABSTRACT: A file box and flexible, resilient suspension device therefor in which the flexible, resilient suspension device includes a body portion which is disposed adjacent the inner surface of a sidewall of the file box and has flexible, resilient clamping means at its upper end which extends laterally from the said body portion at the outer side thereof and is removably mounted in clamping engagement on and with the upper end portion of a sidewall of the file box. The body of the flexible suspension device extends from end to end of the sidewall of the tile box and has file-supporting means in the form of an intumed supporting arm or flange at its lower end and extending laterally from the said body portion on the inner side thereof. The file members are arranged in vertical parallel relationship in the file box and are removably supported by supporting means arranged at the ends of each file member and which rest on the supporting means at the lower end of the suspension device. The construction of the file box and of the said flexible, resilient suspension ,device therefor are such that the file box may be closed by means of the cover or lid therefor and the file boxes stacked one upon another without interfering with or damaging or impinging upon the files in the file boxes or the said flexible, resilient suspension devices therefor.

PATENTEDnci '19 mm 3.614. 185

INVENTOR. ROBERT E. SPLA/V Maw H25 HH FILE BOX AND FILE SUSPENSION DEVICE THEREFOR OBJECTS An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved file box and file suspension device therefor.

Another object of the present invention is to provide anew and improved file box and suspension device therefor for suspending files in vertical-parallel spaced relationship in afile DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of-afile box embodyingv the present invention with the cover or lid therefor in closed position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the file box shown in FIG. 1

with the top cover or lid removed therefrom;

FIG. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view of theme box shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view, partly insection, of the area indicated by the circle marked 4 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the new flexible, resilient suspension device embodied in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A file box embodying the present inventionis shown in the drawing, wherein it is generally indicated at 10, and comprises sidewalls 11, end walls I2,a bottom wall 13 and a removable cover or lid 14 which has depending side flanges 26 and depending end flanges 27. The file box is of the type in which individual file members 15 are suspended vertically in parallel relationship. However, for the purpose of illustration each of the file members 15 is shown as being provided with a laterally extending supporting arm 23 at each end of each of the filemembers 15 and each of these supporting arms 23 is shown as including a lower or bottom surface 24 'which'is provided with a notch or recess 25 (FIG. 4), for a purpose which will be explained presently.

A preferred embodiment of the new flexible, resilient suspension device is generally illustrated at 16in the drawing, and comprises a generally rectangular-shaped-sheetlike body 17 which may be made of anysuitable material; suchas fer-' rous sheet metal, aluminum sheet metal, or molded plastic resinous material, which is preferably of a somewhat flexible and resilient nature and is shaped andsized to fit the requirements of the thickness of the sidewalls 11 and other requirements of the file box 10. The-body l7 has clamping means 18 formed integrally therewith at its upperend,'and this clamping means 18 includes an outwardly or laterally extending flexibleand generally flat, horizontally extending flexible, resilient arm 28 which is formed integrally with the body 17 at its upper end and on the outer side thereof.

This arm-28 is adapted to extend over the upper edge portion of the sidewall 11 of the file box l0'and has a downwardly and inwardly extending flexible resilient clamping flange 19 which, in use, extends inwardly toward the sidewall 11 of the file box 10 and is reversely bent downwardly and somewhat inwardly and has an outwardly turned bead 20at its lower end.

The body 17 of the suspension device 16 also has file-supporting means formed integrally therewith at its lower end'and the file-supporting means is shown as having the form Man inwardly curved supporting flange 21 which is disposed on the" inner side of the body 17, that is on the side thereof opposite the flexible, resilient clampingflange 18. This supporting flange 21 terminates in an inwardly and reversely turned end portion 22. The clamping flange 18 is normally urged, by its own innate resiliency, toward the body 17 of the suspension device 16 and thus is urged into clamping engagement with the upper end portion of the sidewall 11 of the filebox 10 on which the suspension device 16 is mounted.

OPERATION AND USE In the use of the new suspension device 16 the same is formed 'and shaped of a size generally coextensive with the end-to-end length of the sidewall 11 of the file box 10 and, with the lid or cover 14 removed from the file box 10, one of the file suspension devices 16 ismounted on the upper edge portion of each sidewall 11 of the file box 10 by slipping the clamping means 18-19-20 downwardly over the upper edge portion of the corresponding sidewall 11, on the outer side thereof, and with the body '17 and the intumed file-supporting means or I flange 21-22 arranged on the inner side of the sidewall '11. When the suspension devices 16 are so disposed, the somewhat flexible, resilient body 17 and the flexible, resilient clamping means 18-19-20 resiliently grip the upper edge portions of the sidewall 11 and thus retain the suspension devices 16 in position of use on the sidewalls l 1.

When the suspension devices 16 are thus positioned on the sidewalls 11 the file members 15 may be mounted in position of use in the file-box 10 by inserting the notched portions 24 of the supporting arms 23 over the internal file-supporting means or-flanges 21-22 of the body 17 of each of the suspension devices 16 so that the file members 15 are suspended from the suspensiondevices 16 in spaced vertical and parallel relationship, in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.-

when it is desired to remove the individual file members 15 from the file box 10 this may readily be accomplished by merely lifting the notched supporting arms 23-24 upwardly ofi' the file-supporting means or flanged portions 2I-22 of the suspensiondevices 16 and then removing the file members 15 from the file box'10.

As best shown in FIG. 4," when the removable cover or lid l4-26is disposed in position of use in the body of the file box 10 the body of the removable cover or lid 14 rests flat upon the generally flat horizontally extending arm 28 of the generallyU-shaped clamping means 18 with the depending side flanges 26 of the cover or lid 14 fitting closely against and in bearing relationship with the depending arms 19-20 of the generally U-shaped clamping means 18.

It will be noted that the new suspension devices 16 are relatively simple and economical in design, construction and manufacture'and may be readily attachedto and used with any file'box 10 of the type indicated, or file boxes of similar construction, and with file members 15 of the type shown or file members of similar construction.

IT will also-be noted (FIGS. 1, 3 and 4) that in the use of the new suspension devices l6,*the cover or lid 14 of the file box 10 may be readily applied to' the body of the file box, over the generally flat, horizontally extending arms l8 of the suspension devices 16, to close the latter, and that the thus-closed file boxes 10 with the files 15 thussuspended therein, may. be stacked one upon another without interfering with or damaging or impinging upon the file 15 in the lower file boxes or the suspension devices 16'therefore.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, considered inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, that the present invention provides a new and improved file box and file suspension devicetherefore having the desirable advantages and characteristics and accomplishing its intended objects including those hereinbefore set forth and those which are inherent in the invention;

1 claim:

l.= A file box and file suspension device therefor for removably suspending individual file members in vertical, parallel relationship in the file box comprising a. a file box including 1. parallel sidewalls; 2. parallel end walls; 3. a bottom wall; and

4. a removable cover or lid;

b. file members removably mounted in the file box and eac having a laterally projecting supporting arm portion at each end thereof;

c. a file suspension device removably mounted on the upper portion of each of the said sidewalls and extending lengthwise thereof between the said end walls;

d. each of the said file suspension devices including 1. a flexible, resilient body portion disposed adjacent one of the said sidewalls on the inner side thereof, and hava. a supporting arm portion projecting laterally inwardly from the said body portion and adapted to support the said laterally projecting supporting arm portion of one of the said file members; and

b. each of the said file suspension devices having flexible. resilient clamping means formed therein at the upper end thereof and adapted to extend over and to yieldably clampingly engage the upper end portion of one of the said sidewalls of the said file box.

2. A file box and file suspension device as defined in claim 1 in which a. each of the said supporting arm portions has an upwardly extending portion at its inner end; and in which h. each of the said laterally projecting ann portions of each of the said file members includes a bottom surface having therein a notched or recessed portion formed in its lower 3. A file box and file suspension device as defined in claim 1 in which a. the said flexible, resilient clamping means is generally U- shaped in cross-sectional form and is adapted to clampingly engage the upper edge portion of one of the said sidewalls of the said file box.

4. A file box and file suspension device therefor as defined in claim 3, in which each of the said sidewalls of the said file box has a. an upper edge portion; and in which b. each of the said generally U-shaped clamping means includes l. a generally flat outwardly and horizontally extending arm at its upper end extending over the said upper edge portion of one of the said sidewalls of the said file box; and in which the said removable cover or lid of the said file box includes c. a top wall portion extending over the said generally flat horizontally extending arm of the said generally U-shaped clamping means, and in which d. the said removable cover or lid has a downwardly extending flange at each side thereof disposed adjacent to and bearing against the said generally U-shaped clamping means on the outer side thereof, 

1. A file box and file suspension device therefor for removably suspending individual file members in vertical, parallel relationship in the file box comprising a. a file box including
 1. parallel sidewalls;
 2. parallel end walls;
 3. a bottom wall; and
 4. a removable cover or lid; b. file members removably mounted in the file box and each having a laterally projecting supporting arm portion at each end thereof; c. a file suspension device removably mounted on the upper portion of each of the said sidewalls and extending lengthwise thereof between the said end walls; d. each of the said file suspension devices including
 1. a flexible, resilient body portion disposed adjacent one of the said sidewalls on the inner side thereof, and having a. a supporting arm portion projecting laterally inwardly from the said body portion and adapted to support the said laterally projecting supporting arm portion of one of the said file members; and b. each of the said file suspension devices having flexible, resilient clamping means formed therein at the upper end thereof and adapted to extend over and to yieldably clampingly engage the upper end portion of one of the said sidewalls of the said file box.
 2. parallel end walls;
 2. A file box and file suspension device as defined in claim 1 in which a. each of the said supporting arm portions has an upwardly extending portion at its inner end; and in which b. each of the said laterally projecting arm portions of each of the said file members includes a bottom surface having therein a notched or recessed portion formed in its lower surface for the reception of one of the said supporting arms of one of the said suspension devices.
 3. A file box and file suspension device as defined in claim 1 in which a. the said flexible, resilient clamping means is generally U-shaped in cross-sectional form and is adapted to clampingly engage the upper edge portion of one of the said sidewalls of the said file box.
 3. a bottom wall; and
 4. a removable cover or lid; b. file members removably mounted in the file box and each having a laterally projecting supporting arm portion at each end thereof; c. a file suspension device removably mounted on the upper portion of each of the said sidewalls and extending lengthwise thereof between the said end walls; d. each of the said file suspension devices including
 4. A file box and file suspension device therefor as defined in claim 3, in which each of the said sidewalls of the said file box has a. an upper edge portion; and in which b. each of the said generally U-shaped clamping means includes 